B"H
Friday, Tammuz 16, 5776 / July 22, 2016 - Hakhel year
This Shabbat is the 17th day in the Hebrew month, Tammuz, which normally would be a fast day. However, because it falls on Shabbat, we are prohibited to fast and the fast is pushed off to Sunday. Thus, Sunday will be a fast day.
Yom Kippur is the only fast day we fast even on Shabbat.
Five tragic events occurred on this day throughout Jewish history:
1) The Tablets were broken on the 17th of Tammuz. After spending 40 days on Mount Sinai, Moshe descended from the mountain with the Two Tablets. Upon seeing the people worshipping the Golden Calf, Moshe broke the Tablets which contained the Ten Commandments.
2) The daily sacrifice was stopped. When the city of Jerusalem was under siege it became difficult to obtain animals for sacrifices in the Holy Temple. On the 17th of Tammuz the "Korban Hatamid" (the continual daily sacrifice), which was offered daily for hundreds of years, came to an end.
3) The walls of Jerusalem were breached. On this day, the Romans succeeded in breaching the walls of the Holy city of Jerusalem, which eventually led to the fall of the city.
4) A Torah was burnt. Apustmus, captain of the Roman occupation forces, publicly burned the Torah Scroll on the 17th of Tammuz.
5) An idol was placed in the Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple) on this day.
From the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av is a three week period dedicated to remembering the destruction of our two Holy Temples in Jerusalem. Weddings are not performed during this three week period.
The three weeks begin with the fast of the 17th of Tammuz and end with the fast of the 9th of Av (Tisha B’Av).
Q. Why are weddings prohibited during the entire three weeks, from the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av?
A.With the walls of Jerusalem being breached on the 17th of Tammuz, began the process of the destruction of the Holy Temple, which took place three weeks later on the 9th of Av. We refrain from happy celebrations during this period as we mourn the destruction of the Temple.
May we merit the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the third Holy Temple. May we merit everlasting peace for all of Israel and in Israel. AMEN
SHABBAT SHALOM
Montrealcandle lighting time: 8:15 / Shabbat ends: 9:26